Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa

Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa (17 July 1927 – 14 August 1962) was Zimbabwe's first trained black physician, medical doctor and the first vice-president of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU). He rose to prominence during ZAPU's political struggle against the colonial administration in Southern Rhodesia.

Early life Parirenyatwa was born at Rusape in Manicaland and grew up in Sakubva township, Mutare. Along with many future Zimbabwean nationalists, he matriculated at South Africa's University of Fort Hare in the Eastern Cape, subsequently obtaining his degree from the University of Witwatersrand. He later underwent further medical training in Durban.

Upon returning to Southern Rhodesia, Parirenyatwa was instrumental in forming the Mashonaland Herbalists' Association – the first organisation of n'angas in Sub-Saharan Africa at the time. This group recognised traditional healers as public servants and set a general code of conduct for dealings with the Rhodesian public.

In January 1962, Parirenyatwa was appointed deputy president of the newly formed ZAPU by Nkomo for his work in organising the nationalist party network on executive lines. Well respected among Rhodesia's black upper class, ZAPU's new deputy also won favour with the rural poor via his respect for cultural traditions and continued work with the Mashonaland herbalists. Despite this rift Parirenyatwa recognised that union support was necessary for the party to survive, and hoped to bring Jamela's supporters back into the nationalist fold without confrontation. In a six-hour meeting with the SRTUC, he proposed awarding the latter an executive position with ZAPU in exchange for disassociation from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. As it approached Bulawayo, the vehicle suffered a collision with a speeding train, which dragged it for several metres. Parirenyatwa was killed outright. This account was confirmed by the driver,

The legacy of Parirenyatwa's work continues since his son, David Parirenyatwa—also a medical doctor—served as Zimbabwe's Minister of Health from 2002 to 2009 and again since 2013.